Pakistan has launched a sweeping new HPV vaccination drive to protect over 13 million girls aged 9 to 14 from cervical cancer, a cancer that claims thousands of lives annually.
“One jab will do the job,” says cervical cancer survivor Afshan Bhurgri, highlighting how the vaccine schedule has simplified from multiple doses to just one.
In its first phase, the campaign will roll out in Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad, and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, using the Cecolin vaccine free of charge at government centres and local neighbourhood sites, especially to reach girls not in school. The government aims to vaccinate 90% of girls by 2030, partnering with WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, and other groups to make that goal a reality. Already, 49,000 women vaccinators have been trained, and nearly 50% of girls in the target age group are out of school, making the neighbourhood sites critical to inclusion. Cervical cancer ranks as the third-most common cancer among Pakistani women, with over 5,000 new cases annually, and 64% mortality, mainly due to late diagnoses and poor access to screening. This campaign isn’t just about prevention. It could tilt the balance toward survival and hope.
